Captain's Message
Update from Club Captain
Captain’s Message
Dear Members,
It is an honour and privilege to be writing to you as the new Captain of The Machrihanish Golf Club. We’ve got a club to be proud of – not just for our world-famous links, but for the strong sense of community, friendship, and shared love of golf.
A big thank you to Barry Colville for his great leadership and all he has done for the club over the past year – it was an absolute pleasure working with him.
Looking Ahead
As Captain, I’m keen to build on the great work that’s already been done. Over the next year, I’m looking forward to working closely with our committee, our staff, and – most importantly – all of you, the members, to keep Machrihanish a place where everyone feels welcome, valued, and proud to belong.
I’m delighted to be working with our new committee this year. A warm welcome to Bill Clark, Iain MacPherson, Chris Bennett, and Eric Dunlea who are joining us as new members of the team. They’ll be working alongside Iain McGougan, Dean Ratcliff, Ari Techner, and my Vice Captain, Mike Casey – a great mix of experience and fresh ideas.
We’re off to a great start – more visitors on the course, the restaurant busy, and more players entered in competitions. It’s brilliant to see.
Preparations are well under way for our 150th anniversary, which is a huge milestone for the club. There’s still plenty of planning to be done, but we’re working hard behind the scenes to make sure it’s a celebration to remember.
Ladies’ Clubhouse Development
I’m also delighted to share that, following unanimous approval by members at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on Tuesday 27th May, plans to renovate and extend the Ladies’ Clubhouse are now officially under way.
We’re pleased to confirm that McKinven and Colville have been awarded the contract for the project, with work scheduled to commence in July.
The development will see the existing building completely renovated and extended to include a four-bedroom holiday let – a fantastic addition that will further strengthen the already excellent facilities available at The Machrihanish Golf Club. This new accommodation offering will benefit both members and visitors, and add long-term value to the club.
To ensure the smooth delivery of the project, a dedicated Project Management Group has been set up. This team will coordinate closely with the contractor and oversee arrangements for funding. The project will also be a standing item at our monthly committee meetings, ensuring regular updates.
We’ll continue to keep members informed as the work progresses, and look forward to celebrating the completion of this exciting new chapter in the club’s development.
And finally, I’m proud to let you know that we’ve started the process of applying for accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation. We shared this news with our team at a recent staff meeting, and it’s another positive step in recognising the great people who make this club what it is.
Thanks for your continued support – I’m really looking forward to the year ahead and to seeing you all out on the course or enjoying the hospitality.
Malcolm Stalker
Captain, The Machrihanish Golf Club
Dear Members,
It is an honour and privilege to be writing to you as the new Captain of The Machrihanish Golf Club. We’ve got a club to be proud of – not just for our world-famous links, but for the strong sense of community, friendship, and shared love of golf.
A big thank you to Barry Colville for his great leadership and all he has done for the club over the past year – it was an absolute pleasure working with him.
Looking Ahead
As Captain, I’m keen to build on the great work that’s already been done. Over the next year, I’m looking forward to working closely with our committee, our staff, and – most importantly – all of you, the members, to keep Machrihanish a place where everyone feels welcome, valued, and proud to belong.
I’m delighted to be working with our new committee this year. A warm welcome to Bill Clark, Iain MacPherson, Chris Bennett, and Eric Dunlea who are joining us as new members of the team. They’ll be working alongside Iain McGougan, Dean Ratcliff, Ari Techner, and my Vice Captain, Mike Casey – a great mix of experience and fresh ideas.
We’re off to a great start – more visitors on the course, the restaurant busy, and more players entered in competitions. It’s brilliant to see.
Preparations are well under way for our 150th anniversary, which is a huge milestone for the club. There’s still plenty of planning to be done, but we’re working hard behind the scenes to make sure it’s a celebration to remember.
Ladies’ Clubhouse Development
I’m also delighted to share that, following unanimous approval by members at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on Tuesday 27th May, plans to renovate and extend the Ladies’ Clubhouse are now officially under way.
We’re pleased to confirm that McKinven and Colville have been awarded the contract for the project, with work scheduled to commence in July.
The development will see the existing building completely renovated and extended to include a four-bedroom holiday let – a fantastic addition that will further strengthen the already excellent facilities available at The Machrihanish Golf Club. This new accommodation offering will benefit both members and visitors, and add long-term value to the club.
To ensure the smooth delivery of the project, a dedicated Project Management Group has been set up. This team will coordinate closely with the contractor and oversee arrangements for funding. The project will also be a standing item at our monthly committee meetings, ensuring regular updates.
We’ll continue to keep members informed as the work progresses, and look forward to celebrating the completion of this exciting new chapter in the club’s development.
And finally, I’m proud to let you know that we’ve started the process of applying for accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation. We shared this news with our team at a recent staff meeting, and it’s another positive step in recognising the great people who make this club what it is.
Thanks for your continued support – I’m really looking forward to the year ahead and to seeing you all out on the course or enjoying the hospitality.
Malcolm Stalker
Captain, The Machrihanish Golf Club